HILLSDALE — The Hillsdale Hornets staged their second comeback of the week, Saturday, at the Sue Carlisle Tournament.

While the Hornets could not complete a comeback win against Hillsdale Academy, last Thursday, they went the distance on Saturday and won the invitational championship, in the 'Gold Division'.

The team started the invitational on a bad note, losing to Athens in two sets, and splitting with Camden-Frontier. In the tournament, however, the Hornets won three straight games, including a tough match against a talented Jonesville team, to claim the championship.

"It was pretty rough," Gramling said of the team's first two games. "I talked to them after the game and I told them I was disappointed."

The Hornet worked out their issues, beat Homer in two games, and set their focus on their first match in the 'Gold Division' against Jonesville, one of their biggest rivals.

"We really wanted to beat Jonesville," Gramling said.

Hillsdale did just that in the first set, winning 25 to 21. The Comets came back in the second set and secured their own 25-21 victory. 15-9 was the score in the rubber-match, and the Hornets advanced to play Whitmore Lake in the championship.

"They played well together," Gramling said. "I saw a little fire in their eyes."

Whitmore Lake was the favorite, as they knocked-out Athens, a team that handily beat the Hornets earlier in the day.

The Hornets did not let this effect them, however, and defeated Whitmore in two sets, 25-21 and 25-23. "We looked like a totally different team," Gramling said. "I told them, you know how to play - relax and go out there and play."

The top two teams from each pool went on to the Gold Bracket where Whitmore Lake knocked our Athens 25-23, 22-25, 15-10. Hillsdale out scored Jonesville 25-21 in the first set but then came back to take set 2 from the Hornets 25-21. The third set ended with Hillsdale on top 15-9 to advance to the finals meeting with Whitmore Lake.